Subdivision near Engelbrecht to go fourth time before City Council

The City Council will consider on Oct. 11 the proposal to rezone land near Engelbrecht Orchard to allow the construction of a subdivision.

The meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center.

A local developer is scheduled for a fourth date before the City Council in his attempt to win approval for a plan to build residences near Engelbrecht Orchard on Christ Road.

Dan Buck, the owner of Old Orchard Development LLC, went this week before the Area Plan Commission for a fourth time to present plans to put homes on the north side of Christ Road, on a stretch between Weaver Road and North Kentucky Avenue. His proposal won a favorable recommendation from planning officials Thursday and will go before the City Council Oct. 11 for a final vote.

In his three previous attempts, Buck had passed through the plan commission and taken his plan to the City Council only to be told he should revise the project in response to concerns raised by neighbors.

Buck said council members will notice changes when he goes before them next month. Most importantly, he has abandoned his plan to put condominiums on Christ Road and has instead chosen to build houses.

He is also asking for the zoning of the site to be changed to the "R-1" type of residential zone. His previous request was for an "R-3" zone, which would place fewer restrictions on the use of the site.

Despite the City Council's call for Buck to reach a compromise with neighbors, Buck said the changes have nothing to do with complaints made against his plan. He said he decided to build houses after studying market data and concluding demand was slowing for condominiums.

"The neighbors had no impact on my decision," he said. "It was the economy."

Murl Crowley, who lives on Christ Road, said he still doesn't like Buck's plans, "but it's better than what he first proposed."

Buck's current proposal calls for the division of the site north of Christ Road into 105 lots on which houses containing a minimum of 1,500 square feet will be built. Buck estimated the project will cost $20 million.

Buck said he believes he will be able to sell two houses a month, even in the current economic conditions

In one of Buck's previous proposals, brought before the City Council in July 2009, he talked about building between 150 and 160 condominiums and houses on the same site. Buck's company bought the land north of Christ Road from Engelbrecht Orchard in 2008.